Dark Rose
by lonelysand
Summary: It's a rosewick story based on the original work, but made to save Roman, and let him and Ruby get to know each other and finally be together.
1. Chap1 An Unexpected Encounter

Hello all, here is lonelysand.

I am a new shipper of rosewick and I just love them so much that can't help giving them a different story, in which they can get to know each other and finally be "together" together. Hope you can all enjoy it, since I enjoy it so much during this progress.

I want to claim that English is not my mother language, and translating my work into English is a little bit difficult, so I found a translation service and did this first chapter, then checked and made some amendments. And it's the result. it's not as good as I want it to be, but I did my best.

However, it's a little bit expensive with the translation and it's difficult to afford it, I need to figure out how I do this work later, maybe I will try to translate it myself, anyway my speed of update can not be fast. Maybe a month, or longer. So just mention this in case if you do not want to wait for such a long time.

Oh and I need to tell you there would be content of Baked Alaska, not so much but there would be.

Again, hope you like it and enjoy it.

P.S. I don't know if the rate of K+ is enough, but in this work there will not be any adult content, what I worry about is some fight or threatening stuff. If I did anything wrong, please just tell me.

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Chap.1 An Unexpected Encounter

In fact, Ruby has a secret, which she has told to no one.

Since she told no one, at least it won't affect others, maybe. But after all, if you don't want to tell others about one thing, it would be something special for you.

This is a little secret. But sometimes, a little thing has countless effect to future, though it just happened in one second. 

It was a weekend. Ruby was walking on the street idly.

A precious weekend time, while her friends were occupied all various things.

Yang went to fight…in fact, she had been arguing with Nora about ways cooking meat and which makes them taste better during the whole breakfast time. However this topic started from Jaune but now were these two girls trying to fix it in the training ground. Ren, no doubt, followed Nora to watch them fighting. Janue was also dragged by Pyrrha for an excuse of learning. Weiss had disappeared since the morning, nobody ever knew where she had gone and what she had done… while Blake… was reading, yeah.

She also wanted to hang out with Penny, but she had no idea where to find her because she was so mysterious. 

Ruby wandered aimlessly in the city. Imperceptibly, she walked up to a very biased alley. She had somehow recovered herself during the walking time, and started to study all kinds of graffiti on the wall, which she began to feel interesting.

She laughed about some vituperation words, and then sticked out her tongue and looked around to see if anyone had found her doing that. Then she shrugged and thought about what if she'd been discovered. Anyway, nobody knew her at all here. Then she began to study with interest about those loving, affectionate words, some of the writing was very beautiful and moving. She wondered whether the object of those confession had seen it or not.

She studied and studied, suddenly a cute little pattern which nobody knew who painted came into her view, it was a small candle. But the candle light on the top….it was more like a…well. Ruby studied for a long time, finally decided she was right, it was not a candle light, but an ice cream. What a strange combination of the ice cream on the candle! She made a face and sketched out what kind of person would paint such a strange thing in her head. Well, that image just didn't come out, and she shrugged and walked down the alley.

She did not expect that, after a while, she saw the ice cream candle again. This aroused her interest. She simply no longer concerned about the wall graffiti, but to find this special logo along the way.

And she did find it.

Third, fourth, and fifth, the farther she walked, the more she found. Finally, after running around a few times, she knew she had found the last one while making sure there was no more.

She had no idea where she was going, it seemed gruesome and desolated around. Here she found the last ice cream candle painted on a small door in the desert.

Ruby listened carefully, there was nothing voice heard from it. Was anybody here? She hesitated at the door, and rubbed her feet for several times. She turned to leave and took a few steps, but then stopped, looked back again at the door. She stared at the little picture for a few seconds, somehow, out of inexplicable curiosity, she eventually went back to the door.

She knocked.

The knock sounded loudly in the remote silent alley and made scary echo loud. Ruby 's neck hair was flushed a little. She waited for two seconds, and the lane was quiet again. Sure enough… No one. She was a little disappointed and turned to leave.

"Come in."

However, as she turned around, there was a voice in the door.

She turned again to the door, took a deep breath and pushed it away.

In the moment, she suddenly felt… the sound just now, wasn't a bit familiar? 

Roman was lying on the lounge chair, his arms resting on his eyes. He heard the knock at the door, thinking when Neo had learned to knock and shouted, "Come in."

He heard footsteps approaching.

"Neo, what's wrong? I've told you not to come here. Is there an urgent task?"

When he heard the footsteps stop, he suddenly felt something was wrong. Neo! Neo, she's not here. She's not in the city!

As he put his arm down, sat up and looked in the direction of the door, he heard a loud in-breath sound.

"Roman Torchwick！"

His pupils were magnified in a moment, watching the frightened girl take a step back and put on the alert posture and pulled out her scroll.

He lifted his Melodic Cudgel subconsciously and shot the head of it to knock out the scroll. At the same time, a stride forward to grab, he pushed her on the ground before Ruby could escape by semblance.

"How surprise… it's my Little Red. How did you find this place?"

His hand was holding her neck, and the girl pressed on the ground was struggling under his hand while her face flushed. Roman found her hand secretly reaching to the scroll on the ground. With a sneer, he pushed her last hope further with his cane.

"Very clever. Let me see… Weren't you good at fighting, Red? How could you get into such a mess? Oh, I guess, without that oversized gardening tool, the empty handed weeding will cut off your delicate little hand."

Ruby ignored his sarcasm, partly because she was a little desperate. As soon as she recognized the orange haired criminal, she realized that she had not brought Crescent Rose with her today, and yet she had no time to call the locker. Maybe she should run away with semblance first and then call the locker… But she was just too surprised to think of that. She swore to bear arms when went out in the future, after all her combat ability had lost like… 95% without this best friend of hers. She's really not very good at hand-to-hand battles. And her second swear was, when there was no weapon, first fled then fight. At the moment, however, she was not sure whether she would be given the opportunity to complete the promise… after all, the other part of reason for she ignoring his sarcasm, was that she had been pinched speechless, she tried to push the grip on her neck, but hypoxia had made her lost much energy.

Roman looked at Ruby, in a cold hum, and loosed a little control of her, but still pressed her to the ground firmly. Ruby coughed violently at his hand and sucked in the fresh air greedily.

Roman didn't let her relax for a long time, he quickly tightened his hand and got close to her face then said, "How did you find here?""

Ruby screamed before she couldn't breathe again, "That, that sign!"

Roman raised his eyebrows, stopped increasing the strength of his hands. "What sign? Make it clear."

"Can, candle, candle with ice cream on it. I casually found it, it's interesting, then I found a second one, and searched for it here. I didn't expect it was you…"Ruby finished in one breath, looking at the man's eyes so close to her, her silver eyes were filled with fear. She would never be scared of a fight, but in this case… She did feel scared.

Roman relaxed a bit after hearing it. It seemed that this was just a coincidence. He continued, "Who else with you?"

"None, I came out alone."

Roman breathed a sigh of relief, squinting his eyes. Since no one knew she's her… In other words, her life was no need to stay. What's more, she saw the sign between he and Neo which was only known by them… even that woman, Cinder, had no idea about it. Now it was broken by her accidentally interest. To tell the truth, he was not happy at all.

In his eyes, the meaning of killing was clearly passed to Ruby. She was so frightened at the time that she didn't even think about it but cried out, "I won't speak it out!"

"Hum?" Roman raised his eyebrows. He certainly wouldn't have let her off so easily, but since she said so, it was good to have fun. He looked at the girl in front of him, full of fear, and recalled the reason why he relaxed here today. His mouth could not help but raise a not-so-friendly smile. "Tell me your thought, Red."

Ruby, with a little bit surprise, stared blankly for like five seconds, then stumbled out, "Uh, I mean, uh, that is, I will not put you out, that today meeting you here, and… that thing, the sign, I swear I won't tell anyone."

"Ha." Roman chuckled. "You seem to underestimate my intelligence, I - what? Oh yes, 'I swear,' I'm not as stupid as you think, Little Red. You are expecting me to believe what you say? Trust your… Oath?"

Even in this case, Ruby would like to protest, "I never lie! All I want to do is to protect justice and protect the weak. I'm not like you as a… Er…" Ruby swallowed the last words.

Roman almost laughed out. This was the most ridiculous thing in the world. "Me as what? A thief? A liar? Or a criminal? Oh My Little Red, you always surprise me, let me know how naive you are - no, let me know how stupid you are. Protect justice, protect the weak… 'hero', isn't it? The spirit is commendable. But as you don't think a 'hero' would lie… I doubt it. Listen, trust is a good thing, but unfortunately I don't have this good quality." He suddenly recalled the words of Cinder [1], with a sneer. Have a little faith - oh, even that two damn kids can scorn him. Like when they had trusted him.

Roman, for a moment, couldn't conceal violence in his eyes, but then catching a glimpse of a little fear hidden in the girl's eyes. And—seemed like it was more difficult for her to hide her resistance against him, since her eyes showed clearly that she was trying to refrain from refuting him. Oh... He suddenly narrowed his eyes and raised eyebrows. "Red, tell me, are you scared of me?"

Ruby froze for a moment, and apparently did not expect him to ask this question, but she answered quickly. "No."

"Huh? Even so?" Roman slightly tightened his hand.

"No, no, not scared…" Ruby said with difficulty, "I was… scared if I cannot do anything… in this case of useless… Cough…"

"Chi!" Roman unconsciously added force in his hands, then reacted to relax them. And Ruby had been feeling a little dizzy. "You mean, if not in this case, but you taking a weapon and we fight, then even if you die, it doesn't matter?"

Ruby had a vague sense of what he was saying, but she could not understand it at the moment. She did think so before, but unconsciously she felt something of that was wrong from his tone, and finally struggled to shake her head.

Roman realized he said too much, so he back to their topic. He stared at her eyes which were now with tears, paused for two seconds, then asked that important questions. "Red, tell me, do you look down upon me?"

After a small silence, Roman never thought his reaction would be confused, that's right, because the girl in front of him, was clearly in confusion.

"Er…?" Ruby finally made clear of this question, still confusedly said, "I… I haven't thought about that before…? You… are a criminal, and have done lots of bad things, so I'm gonna get you. Then… Well, I mean, I guess, I… don't know?"

Another silence.

Roman suddenly covered his face with his free hand and couldn't help laughing.

Ha, Roman Torchwick! You have been shaken, and you were trying to threaten a little girl to regain your deserted dignity? That's a shame. He laughed at himself and despised his momentary loss of mind… Should not ask such a question. It seemed a right decision to come to this hidden place to relax, or he couldn't imagine to complete tasks with this abnormal state. That's a shame, Roman Torchwick. Did you think you were still that foolish boy ?

Roman stopped laughing, licking his lips and regained his status. His mouth evoked a smile, while eyes without any smile, loosen the hand on Ruby's neck, but put the cane on her throat.

"That's all for joking time, now back to serious. Red… Our life-and-death situation happened more than once. You wanted to catch me, and I was about to kill you. It is a pity this simple task I failed several times… So, last chance, give me a reason not to kill you. Otherwise…"

Ruby had no doubt about that, otherwise, he would immediately launch a bullet to open her neck. Sweat from her forehead wet her hair. Her mind was spinning rapidly…

"Well, the… the first time… when we met, at the beginning, I mean not later on top of the roof, the beginning beginning, I thought that time you… didn't want to kill me?"

Roman looked at her silently for a moment, and finally couldn't help grinning. "You mean, there was one time that I had no intention to kill you?"

"Yep." Ruby nodded slightly, trying to squeeze out words from her dry throat, "So today can also be it… just like we haven't met at the first place, you… you…" She recalled his words when she entered in, although she didn't know who he was speaking to, it was clear that he had no task with him today, "You do not intend to do bad things today and so do I without tasks. We can… as if nothing happened today. I have not seen you, and you have not seen me."

Smile finally unbearable flowed over Roman's eyes. The cane he put on Ruby's throat slightly loosened, she immediately found it and added eagerly, "I will keep the secret! Your that, pattern. I swe… I promise." She switched it to another word.

"I guess maybe I can take back what I said before. You're not as stupid as I thought, Little Red." Roman said slowly. He knew he shouldn't do that. He knew that this decision was a little bit irrational. He knew it would be dangerous. He knew he couldn't trust her. But she did please him. His cane slowly retreated. He stood up, and no longer held the red girl. Now she can escape from him with semblance.

But she did not run away immediately. Roman glanced at her surprisingly, and considered she would make some stupid move again, or say some stupid words. Fortunately, she did not ask him whether he really would comply with the agreement to let her go, or some other stupid question like that, which confirmed Roman's conclusion again for her - she is at least not so stupid.

This girl, just escaped from hell, pinched her clothes corner. Her face was floating a touch of blush. Her eyes were turned away from Roman, with a few more times, and finally came out some voice.

"Well, ugh, I mean... that pattern... pretty cute." She paused, took a quick glance at him, and made up her mind —"good-bye."

The next moment, rose petals fell in the small courtyard, and that same-colored girl disappeared. 

Roman's eyes were a little twitching, and he was frozen in a while. Then, he stepped forward to pick up the girl's fallen scroll and put it into his pocket. He went back to his lounge chair and put his hat on his eyes for a rest.

"Neo." He squeezed a name from his clenched teeth. If it wasn't for the damn thing she had designed, it wouldn't have been any trouble today.

Sure enough, change a sign. This place could not be used any more.

After all, he couldn't trust her.

And today, nothing happened. So the next time they meet, nothing would change.

He had not seen her, and she had not seen him. She still wanted to catch him, so did he.

Well, everything can keep the same, without any trouble.

However, if he did not trust her, then this promise thing could not be trusted either.

The man made a snort of contempt and left the question behind him.

What if it was false? The result would never changed.

He would be the one who survived.

Chap.1 FIN

[1] The first episode, second volume, of first season, Cinder said to Roman, "Oh Roman, have a little faith".


	2. Chap2 Investigation

Hi I'm back, after a month like I said.

Thanks for all the reviews, favorites and follows, really. These encourage me a lot.

Find another translation service but sadly it's worse than the first one, it's like I rewrite the whole translation, but maybe, still better than I do it all by myself.

So please forgive my plain expression and mistakes it may have.

And, somehow I feel like it's better to release this and the next chapter together, so the next chapter would be updated within, I think, three days?

Hope you all enjoy it.

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Chap.2 Investigation

After going back to her dormitory and standing in front of the door, Ruby just recalls that her scroll was left at Torchwick's place. Her first thought is getting back to get it, so she quickly turns back and rushes out, but then brakes suddenly. Have to bring the Crescent Rose, this is her second thought coming up. She rushes to her locker, takes out the Crescent Rose and grabs it tightly, then rushes out again, and brakes again.

So, what's the reason that I need to go with my Crescent Rose? Then, here goes her third thought.

…Oh.

She remembers why she has to bring Crescent Rose, and then realizes where she intends to go back is not a friend's house, and it's not a place where she can come and leave at random either. She shouldn't go back, for that man is really dangerous. Although nothing really harmful happened today, who knows what would happen this time. Even she has her Crescent Rose now… she did make that promise. She should have no idea about where he is and she should have never seen him today. However, this is a self-deception. Anyway, she does know where he is, and that little pattern does exist in her memory. How would Torchwick just let her go? She can't even find a convincing reason from her words herself. She had no time considering this question along the way home, and now she has.

But, Ruby forgets this question again immediately after she finds out what she should do to apply for a new scroll. The length of that file is just horrible. She almost makes up her mind to go back at this certain moment, but then calls back that pair of eyes full of disdain and suspicion of Torchwick.

So, when the rest of her team come back to their dormitory, what they see is her heavyhearted expression and a large stack of paper documents in front of her. "Wow, cool!" Yang goes to Ruby carelessly and puts arms around her shoulders." What kind of trouble you've made for yourself, Ruby?"

Weiss comes to read the words on those papers, speaks with a tone full of incredibility, "Really? We just haven't kept an eye on you for one day, and you lost your scroll?"

"Any clues, or what we can help?" Blake comes close also and asks.

To tell the truth, Ruby really wants to tell them what happened to her today. Oh, they would be scared to death. However, she cannot do that, so she just turns aside the topic under discussion with lots of equivocation, and feels relieved when they finally start to talk about their homework. She also had been carefully asked while getting these documents, she was not allowed to leave until she guaranteed her scroll was already in pieces by accident. Then she need to make up all these stuffs in order to get her a new scroll.

While she is trying her best to fill these papers, she suddenly reminds her words she said to Torchwick today seriously.

I never lie.

"Oh…" she leans her head on her hands and sighs, and waves hastily when her teammates ask her what happens. She then tells them she just finds some unfinished homework- Yang laughs about this and seems proud of herself not having this trouble, like anyone here doesn't know she fails to finish them either. Blake sighs and comforts her, then continues to her reading, Ruby feels that book is not the one she has brought out earlier time today. And, yeah, Weiss. Her voice is almost unbearable, she decides to ignore her mockery. Or maybe it would be better to ignore all the words coming from her mouth now.

Ruby frustratedly buries her head in her arms and lies on the table. What she could do? No matter what she does, she would be in a position of a liar, either to Torchwick, or to others.

Somehow she feels it more unbearable to lie to Torchwick than to others. Maybe it's because his suspicious look, which makes her hasty to prove his wrong for she is not trustworthy. She then suddenly realizes the absurd part of this whole thing -

He is the criminal.

So the whole thing is like, when she finds a secret hiding spot of a criminal, she does not catch him, but lies to everybody in order to hide whereabouts of the criminal.

It is not normal from any view.

Ruby thinks about the whole thing from beginning to the end again and again, and sadly finds it inevitable to happen. Unless she hadn't pursue those cute little icons from the beginning, or she had brought Crescent Rose.

However, she has to be in this awkward situation now, and fills her paperwork silently.

When Ruby goes bed, she almost can't feel her wrists, but a heavy headache. She sighs and covers herself with quilt, feeling she had never had so many brain works before… so many things this complicated. In general, what she only has to do is- fight. That is what she is best at.

It is all that Torchwick's faults.

Well, Ruby comforts herself that he might never use that place again, according to his expression and actions today. Even he magically accepted her proposal and let her go, he probably would not deal this with "they've never met today". After all, even Ruby herself cannot achieve this. If she goes again, there must come back to an ordinary yard, so no need for her to worry about this thing again at tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and all days later in future. She feels a little bit better when thinks of this. However, if in the circumstance he is still there, how would she choose under that case?

This is not like things she would take into account and Ruby feels her brain would be broken if she continues. She excludes this "if" from her mind, there is just no such an "if" thing. Then she finally feels much better.

The reason she acted so weirdly today must be that Torchwick. And everything will be on track again tomorrow, she will not think so many strange things, oh and, would never loose Crescent Rose again.

The last thought before she falls asleep is that if he would not believe her anyway, why would she have to pay so much price of telling lies to prove that she does not lie to him? However, she falls asleep before she could figure it out.

The next morning, things just go like what Ruby thought it would be, what happened yesterday does not bother her anymore, except one thing- she finds out she did forget part of her homework after getting her new scroll by handing in that large pile of documents. And, she forgets the whole thing totally after finishing those homework.

Therefore, with days passing by, when Blake confesses to them of her concern, she is shocked for a second by the name appearing in her mind so soon.

"You're still thinking about Torchwick?"

Torchwick. Yes, that criminal will not disappear in her life just because of that encounter. Well, isn't that how everything goes back on track? As a matter of fact, nothing changes besides a pattern and a place out of use in her memory. Ruby breathes a sigh, finding the thing she thinks she has forgotten for a long time has actually affected her until now.

So, Ruby seems in particular interest when Blake expresses to sneak into the White Fang's faction meeting.

"Ruby, you cannot go, you are not a faunus, how can you mix in it?" Blake looks at her with confusion, has no idea why she insists to follow her. Sun and Neptune have been here by that time, and Sun makes a face to Ruby.

"That's enough, Blake and Sun are able to handle everything and what could you do there?" Weiss impatiently grabs Ruby to take her away.

"But it's the most possible way to meet Torchwick in White Fang's meeting!" Ruby shouts out in the heat of the moment when she is about to be dragged away.

The room turns quiet for a moment, and Weiss looks strangely at Ruby, she even lets go of her hands. Ruby falls into a moment of panic after realizing what she just said. Will they find something out?

"Uh ... I don't know you hate that guy this much? Blake, what happened to you guys last time?" Yang who has not seen him before turns to Blake and asks.

Blake holds her arms and looks confused too, "I don't know either?" She frowns when she recalls that guy's face and tone, "but I could understand."

"Hey, why don't you ask her directly?" Weiss interrupts and pats on Ruby. "What happened between you two cause you such a hatred?" Ruby feels a little bit relieved at this time and thinks nobody would ever guessed what happened between them without any information. Although in fact there was no big deal. She is about to answer, but Yang suddenly comes to her with a dark face as if she has something bad in her mind suddenly, "Did he take advantage of you?" She grabs Ruby's shoulders and shakes her, looks a little bit horrible.

Blake and Weiss also change their color and turn to Ruby, waiting for her reply.

Ruby is almost faint by Yang's shaking and shouts loudly, "No! No! How could you have that thought? It makes no sense!" Getting her answer, Yang then calms down. She lets Ruby go, and takes a look of her after stepping back, suddenly laughs out with arms akimbo, "Haha yes, you are still a kid, that criminal might not be interested in your type." Ruby stares at Yang's stuffs shaking with her laughter and shouts loudly with her face turning pink, "Yang! I don't need this and being taller is enough!"

"Oh, please you guys ..." Weiss rolls her eyes and complains, but Ruby catches a trace of funny from her tone and even Blade has a small smile on her face, "That does make some sense…" she gives a comment after thinking of that Torchwick. "Anyway we'd better come back to the topic," she suddenly realizes that there are not only them, but also two males, and gives a sign to other three. Ruby's face flushes more, and Weiss coughs up, however Yang does a bright smile to the two embarrassed men standing beside, "Oh, boys." She blinks her eyes.

Blake coughs and pulls the topic back, "but Ruby, it is the White Fang's meeting after all, and Torchwick may not appear there, he is still a mankind even there is cooperation between him and them."

"It's more possible to find him there than somewhere else…" Ruby whispers, and Blake looks at her with weird eyes again. "Ruby, what's the problem between you really? What could you do if you find him?"

"Uh…" It stumps her for an appropriate answer.

Ruby just needs to see him in order to make this weird relationship between them - maybe just for her own side – back to normal. In other words, she needs a proof that the accident happened last time has no effect now, as if it has never happened.

"I just want to catch him, you know, it is me who accidently find him at the very first before I… was specially allowed to enter Beacon by Professor Ozpin. And I also fought him last time at the dock. He is a criminal and I want to catch him. That's all. "

Blake is obviously not convinced by this statement, but Yang has already put her arms around Ruby's shoulders, "Oh, this is my little sister, go kick his ass!" So she could only sigh and shrug, then says to Ruby, "But how do you sneak into it, Ruby? Your dress is a little bit conspicuous, and more important, as I said, you are not a faunus."

"I could change to a simple one! And I know features of some faunus are not striking, not everyone has big ears or a tail." Ruby eagerly speaks out and even doesn't care whether such an attitude is suspicious. She really wants to return to her track after realizing this problem, she hates to have such an unclear relationship with this criminal, which is so strange and uncomfortable.

"Uh…" Blake hesitates and looks at Yang and Weiss for their suggestions. Weiss shrugs without an idea, while Yang pats Ruby's shoulder. "Hey, I'm sure Ruby can do it well. And if it's exposed…" She lifts an arm and says, "Just beat them!"

Blake sighs, "Fine, at least we are going to wear masks."

Ruby then cheers and runs to her wardrobe.

"It's the first time for me to see you wear pants like this."

They three walk on the street and Sun cannot help saying this.

"Oh, I'll wear pants at dormitory, you know, pajama pants." Ruby doesn't care for his question being a little bit rude and adjusts her dark red vest. In fact, her color is almost same with what she wears for usual, just without her noticeable cloak and skirt. Her slim vest and black overalls show a little bit masculinity on her than usual. Looking at her, Blake couldn't help thinking what Yang said earlier, and a smile floats to her lips, which relieves a lot of anxiety of her.

"Here we are." She touches a trace like a scratch on the wall, and looks serious. Seeing this sign, Ruby recalls that pattern of ice cream candle.

Oh stop, you shouldn't think of that again. Ruby knocks on her own head and Blake who is going to pass her a mask pauses her act, and then decides not to ask her what she is doing. She takes off the bow on her head and leads the other two carefully walking inside.

The guard at door looks from Blake's ears to Sun's tail, and finally stops at Ruby. "Your…?" He asks on purpose they all understand.

Ruby replies as what they have already discussed, "It's on secret part." Her face blushes a little.

The guard glances at Blake and Sun again, then nods to show that they can go. The three just feel relaxed and about to move, the guard says again, "You look a little bit young, don't you?"

Blake becomes extremely nervous then notices Ruby staring at the man angrily. "Hey, please show some respect to racial character OK? We just grow a little bit slowly, and that's not funny."

The guard frowns and waves to let them go inside.

"Hey, I couldn't think of that." Sun praises her and Ruby proudly raises her head for that answer coming up to her. Blake pays attention to the leader on the stage when they are whispering.

"You two," she murmurs, "look."

Ruby turns back and her eyes wide open, "Tor…" She quickly covers her mouth, staring at the man on stage.

He is here!

Ruby watches that man on stage strolling out with a greeting, and breathes a sigh of relief unconsciously. It looks this man has changed nothing, and this makes her feel what happened that day is already a memory in the past.

All is well.

She does not pay special attention to what Torchwick is talking, and has her own thoughts in mind, only responses absent-minded when Blake and Sun whisper. Suddenly, she notices another person walking out from the other side of the stage, it's a girl. Her hair is pink and brown. Without reasons, she realizes where that pattern comes from at that moment.

Neo, she still remembers this name.

When she diverts her attention from her to Torchwick, then notices his speech has reached a climax. Ruby hears breath of herself when the curtain is opened. The sound is immediately submerged in the noisy surroundings, including voices full of shock of Blake and Sun. She doesn't know why, but she suddenly feels that man is looking at her.

Am I found? Ruby holds her breath for a moment, but he just turns to continue his speech and it seems he doesn't notice her. Ruby feels relieved and stands behind Blake and Sun. "What should we do next?" She asks.

"We have gotten what we want, we sneak out later."

However, when Blake replies, the leader of White Fang in front starts to ask the new pals come forward, they three are pushed forward by the crowd.

"And what now?" Ruby asks nervously, and her hands reach behind to the Crescent Rose, while Torchwick is gone when she notices the stage again.

"…Break the power and let's go."

At this very moment, when Ruby finds that man is gone, and Blake proposes to break the power, the lights are suddenly off by themselves, leaving the whole world into dark. Crowds become panic, and the leader comforts people to be calm down and begins to evacuate them to the outside. Blake feels a little bit relieved, it's better not to get unnecessary attention. She walks to the outside following the crowd with the other two. Breathe a sigh, she prepares to seek for routes and escape away by the chaos.

However…

"Ruby？"

She turns back to notice that Ruby is not with them.

She disappears.

Chap.2 FIN.


	3. Chap3 The Second Time

So here is Chap.3, hope you all enjoy this.

And the next chapter would be released in two months I think, cause these two are updated together.

Maybe one and a half, ask my purse.

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Chap.3 The second Time

"Hey Red, had some fun?"

In the dark, Ruby is about to follow Blake and Sun, but her ear suddenly itches. A warm breath blows her earlobe, that low voice which seems like a thunder to her just shocks her. She suddenly swings her arms and leaps forward, then postures a vigilant posture, but only touches nothing. The crowd is pushing and shoving, and there is only noise around without that man's voice. Ruby firmly grabs the Crescent Rose and squeezes to the direction of that sound, trying to identify the surroundings in the dark. She rubs her ear with the other hand and tries to get rid of the itching on her skin.

Nothing, nothing and nothing. The crowd has almost walked out of this place, and Ruby has touched the edge of the warehouse and guards next to the wall. It is all quiet now, she carefully lowers her breath and feels her eyes beginning to adapt to the dark, so she's able to see a little bit. She regrets a little, she should follow Blake just now and went out. However, after she was provoked by that man, it was nearly her instinctive reaction that immediately caught up.

She leans against the wall and moves towards the direction where she thinks the front door stands as quiet as possible, she is glad that she wears a pair of lightweight soft shoes today. But, suddenly she hears a very low sound of something behind her, and turns around immediately giving up keeping quiet. She grasps the Crescent Rose then intends to change it to fight form, however there is a long strip of hard object hit her wrist from behind. The Crescent Rose drops.

"Well done, Neo." The man in front of her says with chuckle, "To be honest, I like you more in this empty-handed look, Red." He poke his cane on her neck just like the previous time, "Coming without a notice is your new interest, isn't it?"

"This calls an investigation." Ruby strangles out the words. Her eyes are almost adapted to the dark now and she can see Torchwick and that girl named Neo clearly. They both wear light night vision devices. She feels she was tricked, seems like she was a monkey who was performing and watched by them- definitely no offence to Sun. "And I wasn't intentional last time, you know it." She adds.

"Oh, yes, I nearly forget this." Roman chuckles after hearing her words, "I'm glad to see that you didn't go back 'intentionally' after that."

"What are you talking about…?" Ruby questioningly asks, his words are weird. "What do you mean by 'go back intentionally'?"

"It means that you are still standing here…" Roman poke his cane harder on her throat, "though I highly doubt you may not in a few minutes."

"You…" Ruby recalls his expression last time and suddenly understands, "you thought I would go back? What did you do?"

"Oh, just some little bombs… honestly I'm a little bit regretful now, Red. You kids have brought me so much trouble, keeping you alive is not a pleasant choice to me."

"So, you are saying that you let me go for this?"

Ruby hears herself asking weirdly calmly. She stands there silently and is surprised to feel that she all calms down, at least on the surface. She is so quiet that she can clearly feel the burning fury in her mind becoming stronger and stronger.

"Don't get me wrong, Red. I let you go because your action pleased me, that's all. Yet of course, after that…" This orange-haired man drawls, "I did think I shouldn't miss such a good chance."

"I wouldn't do that." Ruby's voice is a bit cold uncommonly.

"Oh, you wouldn't do that… is that so?" Roman grins after seeing her attitude, "If you are so stupid that didn't even think about it, then I'll have to reconsider my evaluation on you, Red."

Ruby bites her lips and doesn't respond to him, because she just remembered that she did have thought about it.

Roman laughs more because of her reaction, "Uh? So are you stupid or not?" He asks the question in a pleasant tone, while he clearly knows what the answer is, and… clearly knows it's the stupid one which this innocent little girl loves, but not the true one. The light shining in his eyes likes a child who has just tricked someone would have, shows how he enjoys fooling her like this.

"But I didn't choose to do so." Ruby clenches her teeth and strangles out the words. She hates his tone. But In fact, she doesn't know what she is angry for. For he wants to kill them? It's not a news anyway. For he didn't trust her? That is just ridiculous. Or, is she angry that the thing troubles her so much, but it just means nothing to him?"

"Well, that's why you are stupid, Little Red." Ruby thinks he will go on, but he stops, seems does not intend to continue this topic.

"Have changed your costume, haven't you, Red? Treat this visit seriously huh. But this… isn't your nighty, is it?" Roman sneers and makes a gesture to Neo. She aims her umbrella tip at Ruby, then he takes his cane away and approaches to Ruby.

She feels the umbrella tip pricking her neck. Is this a same thing as Torchwick's cane which could shoot? Ruby has never seen her and her fight, so she could only guess and doesn't dare to move.

Roman takes off the mask of White Fang from Ruby's face. He sees her glaring at him then winks at her on purpose. "Little Red is addicted to running out and wandering with her little buddies at bedtime, besides, she breaks into a place she should never have broken. As a legitimate citizen, for such a bad kid, I'm sure I have the obligation to, instead of parents and school who failed to teach her this lesson, give her a little punishment and make her learn to behave herself next time, isn't it so?" He leans forward and looks at her eyes, "if she still has a next time."

Ruby feels that the umbrella tip pricks harder on her neck. She swallows and prepares to break through at any risk. However at this moment, some loud noise suddenly comes outside the warehouse. Roman seems irritable to it and stands up straight growling, "Those bunch of bums!" He impatiently waves to Neo, "Go see what's wrong. So many people, and they can't deal with a little kitty cat and a monkey. What the hell could they do?"

He raises his cane again and aims at Ruby without smile on face. "It seems that your little buddies have done something outside, can't wait learning a lesson with you."

Yes, Blake and Sun are still here. Ruby forces herself to calm down and face this criminal she couldn't understand, but she still couldn't help glancing at the direction where Neo left.

"Before you worry about your buddies, you should worry about yourself first, Red." says Roman. Then, it seems that he suddenly reminds something and smiles again. "You know what, Red, what kind of reaction will they have if I tell you buddies your interesting experience?"

Ruby doesn't understand it, "what?"

"I'm saying, Red," that smile on Roman's face is deeper, "If your buddies… even your teachers and headmaster know that you have set a wanted criminal free, what would they think about you?"

"I did not set you free on purpose!"

"Oh come on, you know where I was, but you did not tell anyone… I feel overwhelmingly flattered for how you tried to shield me."

Ruby is provoked trembling for how he twists fact. She stares at the man and is incredible how shameless a man can be. "That's just nonsense, no one will believe in you!"

"Oh? Which fact I claimed was wrong, Little Red? You know where I was, but you did not tell anyone including your… partners? Friends? Or what to say, the closest ones of you… any of these is wrong you may tell me?"

"That's because we had the appointment!"

"Huh." Roman's eyes shines a sly light, "So, you are gonna tell the government or the military this, 'I have made an appointment with that wanted criminal for saving my life, and I assured him I will not reveal his whereabouts to anyone.' Then you can wait for them to believe you, touch your head and praise you an honest and trustworthy girl, or maybe they would even sympathize with you for your poor situation caused by my threat. Is it right, my poor Red?"

Ruby clenches her teeth. All of these, which had particularly troubled her that much, seems like a funny joke in his mouth. "My friends will believe in me, because I am not as shameless as you." She finally able to strangle out the words.

"Thank you for that praise." Roman even affectedly picks up his hat to salute her. If it's not the cane in his another hand still pricking Ruby, his posture is really gentle and polite just like a real gentleman, "You understand it's a praise for me, don't you?"

"I, do, not, understand." Ruby stares at him and drops the words.

Roman's smile vanishes after hearing that. This rapid change of his face just makes people doubt whether he is the same person as the last second. "What a pity… that you won't have chance to understand that anymore." His voice turns ruthless and cruel, Ruby almost feels that she can see the blaze emitting on the tip of his cane.

At this very moment, Ruby unexpectedly struggles. She deflects the cane the moment the dust shell is shot out, and it explodes on the wall next to her. She rushes forward quickly and hits Torchwick who was not prepared for this to fly a few meters, then jumps to the Crescent Rose. She unfolds it and severely hits the wall which had been blown out of a gap. After a few hits, the wall collapses and makes huge sound. At the moment when she rushes out, several shells explodes next to her again, it's Torchwick who begins to fight back. Ruby rushes to the direction of front door of the warehouse with her Semblance. Blake and Sun might be there. But when she has rushed a half way, a louder sound comes behind her. She finds time and glances backward at it, then is shocked by the huge machine. She tries her best to rush forward, then sees two figures far away also rushes to her.

"Ruby! Is that you, Ruby?" She hears Blake's shout. She signs with relief first, and tries to show them the guy who is catching up behind her, then sees the pursuers behind they two.

"That way!" Blake obviously has noticed the situation. She waves to her, then these three jumps to the side of the roof with their own methods and horizontally escapes from this place. "Sun has informed others, they should be on the way!"

She is right. During the process that Torchwick chases them with the big robot, Yang has rushed over with Neptune, and Weiss arrives also.

"Hey, use our new tricks we had practiced to cope with him!" Ruby feels she is full of strength. She even feels quite pleasant as her companions and she are finally together again. Her friends, but not that bastard Torchwick. None of them would retreat, wouldn't they! They stops escaping to dogfight with him, and they succeed.

Ruby is filled with pride and joy at the moment. She watches Torchwick getting out of the broken robot, stands up and flicks the dust from his suit with complaints. Oh, this man actually is flicking his suit, she couldn't help rolling her eyes. She feels a terrible impulse rising from her heart, and she almost couldn't help rushing to question him. But what does she want to question? Oh, no, not question. She just, still wants to prove him that her partners are credible and they shouldn't be talked by him in such a contemptuous tone. And this time, he would not dare to laugh at her.

But Yang has already rushed forward. Ruby sees a red bullet fired from Ember Celica and rushes to the orange-haired criminal. Her pupils dilate in a flash, and that bullet track seems like a slow motion in her eyes. Her mind suddenly goes blank and her body freezes in place. She knows they are going to knock him down, but at this moment, it's just so fast, as if it's beyond her expectation.

"Bang-"

The bullet does not hit Torchwick.

Ruby surprisingly looks at the girl with two-tone hair holding up the unfolded umbrella in front of him. Behind her, the criminal regains his leisurely and polite manner. He waves a greeting to them, as if they just had a pleasant conversation just now. "Ladies, always pleasure." Then he turns and says something to the girl beside. Ruby sees her giving a salute to them, and Yang immediately rushes forward. So we still need to continue fighting, huh? Since he seems… she thinks and suddenly notices that Torchwick is making a mouth shape against her direction. She narrows her eyes and recognizes him saying to her… "Farewell." The next second, Yang's fist arrives, but the position where they were located is broken like crystal, and Ruby could not see them two.

Than the transport plane lifts afar, Ruby watches them leaving. Although it is far away from him, she somehow does know that he must be giving his disgusting laugh towards her direction now. However, at this moment, an unrelated idea just appears in her mind: So, is that his companion, too?

"Well, Ruby, now you can tell us what happened later between you?" On the way back, Blake asks Ruby, "I found you were lost when I walked out of the warehouse."

"Oh, this," Ruby answers her, "Torchwick had found us before, and the light was definitely extinguished by him on purpose. He found me in the dark… later I saw him wearing a night vision and that's why he could do that. So I began to chase him... but Crescent Rose was dropped by them. The girl with him did it. Thanks to your fight outside, Torchwick told her to see around, then I could find an opportunity to escape from there. Thank you, Blake, and Sun ... Sun? Have you seen Neptune and him?"

The others just shrugs a no. Blake thinks deeply with folded arms, "Were you just saying that he kept you alone on purpose? It seems that you are really hostile to each other. You really ruined him such a large business?"

Ruby coughs, "Nope, I guess he was just trying to separate us. I was walking at the end then."

Blake still looks confused, "You had spent a lot of time inside, and he didn't immediately kill you?"

"Um, he… talked a lot."

Weiss interrupts, "You guys had things to talk?"

"Umm, nope…" Ruby suddenly has a headache, "I mean, I was saying, maybe it was just my luck. So what do you think about that, where he got that giant robot?" She changes the topic, and the three talks for a while, then they suddenly feels something weird. They looks at the silent Yang one after another.

"Uh... You all good, Yang?" Ruby pokes her arm.

"Ah? Oh nothing. I was just thinking about the fight." Yang comes to her sense by her poke and looks at her. "The girl who had caught two of my hit. If I meet her again..." Yang smashes her fist with a look of fight.

"She's Neo." Ruby says, then finds the other three look at her strangely. "Hey, I heard Torchwick call her in the warehouse!"

"Fine." Those three shrug and accept her words, then they begin to talk about other topics.

Ruby becomes the silent one this time. She feels her stomach suffering pain and shrinking, because she suddenly realizes something.

She is still lying to her friends. Her best friends.

Her stomach twists more tightly, it feels so uncomfortable. She clenches her teeth and recalls Torchwick's face, feels that this thing might not be perfectly dealt with in a time. She looks at Blake with some sympathy, now she knows how it feels to keep a secret, too. Besides, in order to keep one secret, it seems that she has to tell more and more lies. She suddenly expects someone to find her secret, and then forces her to admit it. But how could she expose it? And why couldn't she expose it?

Ruby painfully finds that Torchwick's words have an impact on her, and she could not remove his words from her mind, even if she knows that she does not believe in him. She knows that even if she has said everything, her friends would still trust her. But she still couldn't forget his words and those moments she couldn't protest herself.

She was so eager to prove him wrong, but for now she doesn't want to see him at all.

Ruby smiles at her companion who turns and speaks to her, and painfully continues to keep this secret a secret in her heart.

Probably because of her understanding of the pain in keeping a secret, the action Ruby takes unusually synchronize with Blake's. Yang and Weiss are shocked by the enthusiasm of these two in further investigation. They spares no effort to drag them to the ball which they has painstakingly prepared.

The difference between them is that Blake finally begins to enjoy it, but Ruby finds it hard to, especially those stupid lady stilts. She looks at the lively scene, it seems that everyone is laughing, they all looks very happy.

Seldom, she feels a little lonely.

Ozpin's sudden appearance shocks her. She feels a bit tired when she hears him saying "Well you can't spend your entire life on the battlefield, even if you may want to." Why not? I am really, really willing to. But when he goes on saying that "If you think about it, fighting and dancing aren't so different. Two partners, interlocked…" Ruby's mind really reminds of something.

She reminds of Torchwick, and she is shocked by herself.

Ozpin continues, "Although, one wrong move on the ballroom merely leads to a swollen foot."

Oh, Ruby answers him in her mind. But when you take a wrong step on the battlefield, you will be dead. She could not help touching her neck, as if the tactile impression that his cane pricked still exists. More than that, there might be more serious consequences, yes. She just took one false step, and that makes her sink into a situation that she has totally no idea how to deal with, makes her a despicable liar.

She reminds of Torchwick's face in her mind, suddenly finds that it is not difficult to imagine his appearance of dancing. Or better say that it's easier to imagine his dancing than fighting, his appearance and behaviors impresses people that he might be good at this. But he is indeed a criminal and is one of the best who is an expert of bad.

Ruby suddenly feels curious about this criminal for the first time, though she forgets it soon because of another thing she sees this night. The next day, when she is informed from Ozpin and Ironwood that they think the incident she had seen was related to Torchwick, she could not tell what her feeling is.

"Actually, I… I think I remember her saying something about a hideout, or something... in the southeast, just outside the kingdom."

She doesn't even know whether she is willing to see him again when she says that, but she does feel that her heart beats a little bit faster than usual.

Chap.3 Fin.


	4. Chap4 Three Strikes Law

Here comes chapter 4. Thought I should use past tense while translating should I...? I'm not sure really, whatever...

Might upload next chapter in two days because I'll not at home for a month and will miss the date, and I'm thinking about somehow it seems good to upload two chapters at once every two months... might do this way in the future.

As always, Hope you could enjoy it.

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Chap.4 Three Strikes Law

Roman sighed heavily when his heelers called him. He had been tired for a whole day, and did not want to worry about these idiots. What good things could those guys find?

He was right.

What they found, was not good at all.

Ruby saw that orange-hair criminal slowly pacing towards her, then unconsciously swallowed. The excitement when Professor Ozpin allowed them to take this task at that time had faded long before, and this was far beyond her expectation, it was an accident. Probably she should have been more cautious after all those accidents happened, should not rashly come out alone when found something weird. Well, she thought it might not be regarded as "alone" that she was together with Zwei and her Crescent Rose, but who would know that they did not fall together with her. More accurately, who would know that she actually fell to such a place... here was really a secret base.

Ruby was still upset and missed her buddies, Torchwick's cane abruptly appeared within her sight, and raised her chin.

"Hey!" She wanted to dodge backward, but she was fixed too hard by his heelers. She could not break away, then had to look up at his eyes along his force.

"A surprise really, Red, my Little Red. How should I react to this? I almost doubt that you are deliberately tracking me. I am very grateful to your dedication for me but you know, it's actually not a good method for going after someone. We always need private space, don't we?"

Ruby made a strange voice, she spit out her tongue and made a face at him to show how disgusted she was with the words.

Roman grunted, waved his heelers away, "Leave her to me, and continue your work. This 'bad thing' cannot bring any good sign, we'd better hurry up."

Ruby suddenly reacted, she kicked down the man behind her and fled fast the moment she was released. However Roman chuckled seeing her action, then raised his cane, and had it launch the head to hook her back. "Oh Red, I suggest you not to flee, so as not to waste the last time of your life." He grabbed her collar and pulled her before him, tenderly spit out some untender words. A smile flickered across his lips, but meanwhile a chill light twinkling in his eyes. To be honest, even if he always got a little fun from her, he was tired of his plans destroyed by the same person time and time again. How did she come here this time?

Ruby slightly struggled a while, then decided not try to flee again. She comforted herself, at least she was quite experienced in this situation which she was controlled by him, but the rich experience that she was threatened with life could not make her happier. Her neck was nipped by Torchwick, and she was took to a train carriage. Ruby stumblingly trotted to keep up with his steps, and muttered in a whisper "the third last time of life". He heard it quietly, threw her to the ground after entering the train, then looked down at her. "Then you should know the three strikes law, Red. Since you have been caught bare-handed the third time by me, this time do not expect to be able to escape." His cane struck three times towards her heart, "You have a little time to make a will. Why not tell me first, how you found my place this time?"

Ruby slapped his cane away, held up her body to glare at him, "Very funny, you may have forgotten an important fact, that this is also the third chance that I can catch you. Three strikes law, isn't it? This time I will not let you go, why don't you tell me, what you are doing here?"

Roman sneered, "I have to admit that, Red, you really bring me a lot of fun every time, great, great fun. As a good entertainment, I kind of not willing to let you die." He crouched in front of her, reached out his hand and grabbed her jaw. Ruby wanted to struggle, but was fixed by his force. "You expect to catch me just by your poor combat ability, don't you? It is surprised to see that you do not make any progress on it, especially after the last two experiences. Celebrate for your silliness, Red, you will lose your life because of your arrogance."

Ruby stared at his eyes without any weakness, "I still have my friends. You have experienced how we beat you last time!"

Roman laughed, "Don't make me laugh, Red, you know that you are alone here. Even if your little buddies are all here, I suggest you not to pin your hope on them. After all..." His eyes twinkled cunning light, "They still do not know the little secret between us, don't they? This is already our third tryst, and I am touched with your persistence. You know, love at this age always lacks a little bit loyalty..."

"Shut up!" Ruby blushed, not because of shyness, but was greatly angry about his nonsense. She stared at him with lips trembled like being affronted, "You shameless!"

"Even if you are forgetful, you should not have already forgotten what I taught you the last time, haven't you? Seems I should improve my teaching methods in order to impress you deeper... This is a praise for me, remember?"

"I was swearing at you," Ruby said with clenched teeth, "And I have said that my friends would trust me because they are not as shameless as you!"

"A strong counterattack, nice try, Red." Roman's prolonged intonation showed he didn't think so at all, "How lovely of this friendship thing, isn't it? Belief, trust, I'm almost moved... But as I said, my dear Red, the theme of this age is-betrayal. Not everyone would be as loyal as you to me. More people would do just the same as me... shamelessly betrayed you."

Ruby decided to just ignore the molestation in his words, "You too have your own friend, don't you?"

Roman raised his eyebrow, "If you referred to Neo, she's not my friend."

"She is your companion, isn't she? Even you have a companion. Don't you trust her?" Ruby stared at his eyes.

Roman sighed, "Well, since your time is not much, I will tell you the difference between my 'companion' and your silly friend game, as you would not die dissatisfied. You know that a criminal always values humanistic care." He laughed as just told a joke, "Red, if your... friends, companions, whatever you call them. If they are in a deadlock, and you know that even if you are there, they would not be saved and you might lose your own life... What is your choice?"

"Save them." Ruby replied without hesitation.

There was an unsurprising and ironic look on Roman's face, "You are as ridiculous, stupid and naive as I imagined. Let me tell you my choice, no. I would not, and she would not either. Only some stupid kids like you would do this kind of deal that saves a mortal person with your lives. Anyone reasonable and wise would not do this kind of silly thing. This is reality, not a stupid game."

"So you will watch her die?"

"Yes." Roman's answer was without hesitation like Ruby's previous reply.

Ruby was silent for a few seconds and still looked at his eyes. She suddenly reminded of that pattern, the ice-cream candle. She said in a certain tone, "But you will be grieved."

Roman's canthus throbbed once. He looked away and hummed, "You are kidding me." He spoke again before Ruby could react to it. "Let me tell you how foolish your simplicity are, Red. You will regret as what I've told you before, you'll see how foolish your decision is that did not delate me." His cane once again aimed at her. Ruby was taut. She tried her best to roll towards the side, in order to evade the blasting flame.

At this very point, suddenly there came a huge sound outside the train. The train violently trembled, Roman was caught off guard and staggered. Ruby's eyes twinkled, she stabilized her body and jumped— Thankfully she fell on the ground, hence she was not influenced mightily— then quickly rushed out of the train.

"Damn it!" Roman quickly followed her and rushed out, seeing the receding figure, and more figures far away... He raised Melodic Cudgel to shoot the figure, but she dodged all. It seemed that one rubbed her side, but that was meaningless. He gritted his teeth, growled and tightly clenched his cane, then gathered his heelers and announced moving up their plan time. He knew it, there would never be good thing with her appearing.

Ruby suddenly stumbled and nearly fell down during the dodging, and felt her right arm hurt at the same time. She stumblingly continued running forward, paid attention on her arm when there were no more bullets shooting behind her. Her sleeve dehisced a big gash, but fortunately the scar on her arm was not deep. Ruby tried to ignore the pain, quickly rushed to her companions, and threw herself into her beloved sister's arms. Yang held her whirling a round, then laid her down. "Ruby! I am glad you are okay!"

Ruby resisted the excitement back to her friends, and eagerly explained everything she saw to them and Dr. Obbleck, including the train, the weapons, the robots, and the Torchwick. Before they reacted to the news, the train had already moved under that guy's command.

"Let's stop it." Ruby took Crescent Rose and held it in her hands. She stood among her buddies, instantly felt powerful. She looked up at the train, almost had an illusion that she could see the man inside. This time she would stop him. After Dr. Obbleck understood and pointed out that man's purpose, Ruby repeated in her mind. She would definitely stop him. She felt that her heart was torturous as if it shrank into a ball, she attributed it to the reaction of the consequences that might generate if his plan succeed. That was a city, full of innocent people. Her heart was filled with anger, and the desire to fight rose high. The only thing she wanted to do was immediately rushing to Torchwick and stop him. So, when Dr. Obbleck called her and made her stay to stop the train with him, she was absent-minded for a short while and replied a "what".

They all looked to her. Yang and Weiss did not react, but Blake quickly got what Ruby was thinking because they had investigated together before, although she had always been puzzled: why did Ruby care about that wanted man so much? She frowned when she reminded of the man's disdainful look while commanding White Fang's fellows, she would not deny that he could actually disgust everyone. If there was a chance, she would also like to personally knock him down, but since Ruby greatly cared about this, she would not insisted on it that much. Blake turned to Obbleck and said she would stay. He shrugged and said it was OK if they wanted to. "Thanks, Blake." Ruby patted her for gratitude, then jumped inside the train with Yang and Weiss.

Then they met that girl, Neo. She jumped in front of them, gracefully straightened up and looked at them, it seemed that there was a smile on her mouth. All these behaviors made Ruby remind of another person. She quickly glanced at Yang, understood her fighting intention had risen the second she saw her look. She was right, Yang then told Weiss and her go first, "This one is mine." The situation and her tone made them understand that they should do as her saying. Therefore, under the cover of Ember Celica, Ruby and Weiss successfully rushed into the next train carriage. Behind them, Yang strode towards that girl. At this time she had not known how deep the war would impress her yet, whether the war or that person.

The next opponent the two girls who continued to charge forward met was a member of White Fang, who was holding a chainsaw. Weiss took on this war on her own initiative. Ruby raised Crescent Rose to rush past the big guy before she could give Weiss a light of gratitude. Oh, her BFFs.

Finally, she stepped over the next door, immediately saw the man with familiar orange hair standing in front of her. Finally, she could hold Crescent Rose to fight against Torchwick.

He was not surprised for her arrival, "What's the matter, Red? They finally begin to doubt you, so you intend to elope with me?" Ruby's answer was clinging to Crescent Rose and rushing forward. "Oh, I guess this means a 'No'..." Roman raised his cane to block and then leaped aside in virtue of her force. "So how long do we have to secretly meet like this? Let's go public, you are not suitable for this secretive and sneaky style, Red."

He must be intentional, Ruby did not doubt about it at all. He unscrupulously cut her to the quick, and enjoyed it. She rushed forward again and fought against him. Roman shoved aside her attack again and again with Melodic Cudgel, but Ruby was very confident about her speed. She switched direction quickly after every attack, the intense impact between Crescent Rose and his Melodic Cudgel nearly rubbed spark. Ruby gradually began to feel a little surprised about this, the times he resisted were more than she imagined. In fact, she always felt that this man was only best at shooting bullets from his cane, but seemed this Torchwick was far from weak. She suddenly saw a smile on this man's lips, before she could become vigilant, his cane had whipped the wound on her arm. Ruby gasped out, almost could not hold her scythe, and was hit by his force to fall backward. She clenched her teeth, tried to ignore the pain and clenched Crescent Rose, then used her semblance to duck away from the coming bullet. The explosion fire exploded on the ground behind her, the scorching breath burned her hindbrain. Ruby leaped aside, knelt on the ground to gasp. She glared at Torchwick, the anger towards him almost made her not feel painful about the wound. She pinched hard on the hurt arm then held Crescent Rose and rushed forward again. She continued to keep the terrible attack speed, and finally found a chance during the fight to hew towards him— this man tried to lean back to dodge, but he also lost his balance and fell backward to the ground, several locks of his hair was cut off fluttering in the air. Ruby rushed first, raised her scythe high, hewed, and again blocked by his cane, but this time hard for him. Ruby's wrist screwed, then the cutting edge of Crescent Rose locked his cane. She growled then twirled against his Melodic Cudgel— Roman was caught unprepared then let his cane slip out of his hand. Ruby's hand raised, aimed Crescent Rose at his neck.

"Hey..." Roman's voice became soft, he lifted his hands in front of the chest which seemed to show weakness, "Easy, Red, relax. Just think about our relationship, we're good, we could solve anything couldn't we?"

Although it was not the first time to know how shameless he was, Ruby still surprised about it, then ignored his words. She just stared at his eyes and said, "Three strikes law, huh? Who is arrogant this time?" Then the smile shown on Torchwick's face made her really want to hew, she tried to choke back this impulse, but the guy was still provoking, "Hey Red, do we really have to discuss this? How unromantic. Why not talk about something else, for example…" It seemed that he glanced at some direction, and his eyes revealed a backstairs smile, "For example, you would not win."

"You…" Ruby ground her teeth, but was interrupted by him. He touched his hair, showing a little bit regret, "My hair style is almost destroyed, you need to know the maintenance is very troublesome..." He looked at her and squinted, "You will regret for it, Red." Suddenly, Ruby sensibly realized that he was not talking about some hair style thing. She remembered that he had said something similar not so long ago, and she noticed that she really had deeply kept his words in mind. After understanding what he was actually referring to, her pupil suddenly frighteningly enlarged. Ruby reminded of the purpose that they wanted to achieve on the train in the first place, how is the situation now?

Roman keenly perceived her reaction to this, laughed satisfactorily, "Unexpectedly, you react quickly, Red. But it's too late." He slowly spit out the words, with eyes twinkling crafty light. He enjoyed the expression on her face, and Ruby suddenly raised Crescent Rose against his throat. "Hey! Rather than murder your secret lover, better…"Roman didn't make it to finish his words, Ruby changed the form of Crescent Rose then pounded on his head to knock him out, then quickly ran to the carriage where her companions were.

They did not stop the plan in time. The train rushed into the city, and caused a huge confusion, although the state of affairs was controlled finally.

When Ruby saw Torchwick again, he was being handed over to the military by Mercury and Emerald. She held back the impulse of walking forward, looked at him out and away. It seemed that he felt her sight, then looked over here. She vaguely saw his mouth moving towards her direction, could not hear or see it, but she guessed what he said was probably those words.

You will regret.

She watched Torchwick being escorted to the warship, then reminded again of the conversation about "arrogance" between them. Anyway, he was the arrogant one this time.

"You will lose your life because of your arrogance." Obviously this was not applicable to her situation now. Somehow Ruby felt a little bit uncomfortable, for some reason she was not clear.

Chap.4 FIN.

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Somehow I feel if it was others Roman faced to, he would dare not be a jerk to this extent after his neck was aimed... he even dared to tease her lol


	5. Chap5 A Secret Visit

Well, hope you could enjoy. Next two chapters will be on August I think.

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Chap.5 A Secret Visit

When Ruby was taking a shower, Yang walked past her and glanced at her arm then frowned. "Ruby, your wound is not serious, why does it not heal up yet?" Ruby gave an awkward smile and answered her without confidence, "I'm not sure? Guess it might get better soon." In fact, the reason why her arm had not healed up, was because she had been unconsciously grasping or rubbing the wound. This often occurred when she was in a daze, she always couldn't realize that her left hand was unconsciously stroking her right arm until she felt the pain. Ruby probably knew this was related to Torchwick, it seemed that the influence of that appointment in the first place would be lasting for long, she was anxious of it. To be reasonable, he had already been caught, and she should not have had burden in her mind anymore, but this wasn't controlled by her own will. She had tried several times to tell her friends what happened between that guy and her, but those words which had been simulated countless times in her mind just stuck in her throat, then were finally swallowed by her. Ruby didn't know what was stopping her, after all, even that guy himself, seemed unconcerned about whether she kept the appointment. More than that, he even felt that she was stupid doing this— then Ruby suddenly realized why she could not break the promise, she still wanted to prove to him, that she was right, and it was not stupid.

It was really stupid. Ruby cannot help thinking so herself. That man was already caught and put in prison, but she was still bothered by the initial problem— whom she should lie to, her friends, or a wanted man. However, her choice was that wanted man from beginning to end. The man who made her become a liar.

She shook her head and dropped this problem for the moment to enjoy her shower. She glanced aside, just saw a bruise on Yang's body. She suddenly thought this was a good chance to talk about that battle, she didn't have chance to mention it these days, after all Yang seemed not want to take the initiative to mention it. "Yang, your own bruise has not healed up too, you good with them?" "Um?" Yang absently answered, and then reacted what she asked, "Oh, those bruises always recover slowly, but they do not hurt now, guess they'll get better soon." Yang's expression looked like she was recalling something, Ruby guessed she was thinking about the battle. She always knew that Yang enjoyed the passion and pleasure of fighting, and liked adventure, but she seldom saw her cared this much about one she fought against. It seemed that Neo was not bad at all. Ruby was having her thoughts, then saw Yang regretfully smacked her lips to end the recalling. "Next time I will…" She said, and clenched her fist to brandish in the air. If she was not having a shower all naked, this scene must be more intense. "So, what exactly happened that day?" Yang shrugged, "She knocked me down, that was all. Just like you knocked that Torchwick down." Ruby did not ask any longer. Yang's rising enthusiasm on fight looked quite good, after all, they would participate in the Vytal Festival soon.

Since Yang had mentioned, Ruby began to pay special attention not touching her wound, so it soon healed up, except the itch on the skin. This period annoyed Ruby most, she would rather have hurt than itch. The uncomfortable feeling distractedly harassed her nerves, just like the man who caused it. Fortunately, the Competition had arrived, when her mind was filled with other things, the itch would not affect her so much.

Participating in the game was a great and fresh experience, and then Ruby and Yang got another surprise, uncle Qrow came. However, the surprise of seeing him soon diminished when Ruby heard Yang suddenly mention that name.

Why did that guy inexorably hang on? She complained in mind, then got attracted by Qrow's words. He said that they may be acting like huntresses, but they're not thinking like one. She could not help but remind of Torchwick. When he spoke to her, he meant this more or less, though he did not say the same words. Therefore, when her old man asked them, if they really thought four girls and their friends could end all crime in a kingdom, she almost felt that her answer was to refute that person, but not uncle Qrow: "I mean, I did until you said that."

He told them, violence hadn't dropped since Roman got nabbed, it was stopped completely. They cut off the head of a King Taijitu, but now the second head's calling the shots.

"So, you're saying he is not the target we have to deal with, and this is a conspiracy?" Ruby interjected. Qrow looked at her in surprise, "You have learned the spirit, but no, of course he is the target. But I'm afraid his position is far less important than what you think." Then he complained, that's what Ironwood can't get through that thick metal head of his.

Then their topic changed, starting from the relationship between Ironwood and Qrow, he began to tell them about his past. However Ruby began to distract, she could not move her mind away from that Torchwick thing. What was he going to do? He had been locked up, but was it meaningless? She seemed to have never been like this before, her mind was filled with so many stuffs, but she had been a person who did not need to think this much. She felt she was having a headache, when did this situation start? Ah… Of course, it started from the moment when she found that pattern and inadvertently met Torchwick.

Then during the whole day, Ruby was not able to kick his things away from her mind, until she laid on the bed in the night. It seemed natural then she suffered from an insomnia. Ruby sighed, wearily took her scroll to have a look. She leafed through the address list, was a little bit satisfied to find that there were quite a lot of people, at least it was a lot to her. Her fingers slid on the screen, suddenly found an unknown account. She clicked on this person's information, only to find that it was blank. When did she know such a person? She leafed through the address list, tried to remind of a friend she knew but did not in the list, but she did not remind of any. All people she could remind of were all in the address list, so who was this one indeed?

Ruby thought for a while, then sent a message: "Who is that?" She did not expect someone would immediately answer her, after all, it was late night. But unexpectedly, the reply came quickly. She clicked on the new message, then stared at the screen. On the screen, a word harshly appeared: "Red?"

She sat up with a thump and stared at her scroll, then reacted looking around and found no one was awakened by her, then breathed a sigh of relief. She turned over on her stomach, then put her scroll in front of her, closed her eyes hard. Five seconds later, she opened her eyes, seeing the word still there. She then pinched herself, it hurt. She stared at the word, began to think that if she slept now, maybe tomorrow morning she would find it disappearing. However, another new message came. She hesitated for a few seconds before clicked on it, then found the content was: "Surprised?" She clenched her teeth. It must be him, yes, must be that Torchwick.

Ruby tried to take a deep breath several times, calmed herself down, then picked up Scroll, wanted to type a reply. However there were too much stuffs she wanted to say, questions generated one by one in her mind, she did not know what to write for a moment. Finally she typed the most intense question: "How do you get in my address list?!"

Roman felt the vibration in his chest, he smiled and took out a small piece of thing from the secret pocket in front of his chest. It was modified from the original scroll, he had someone did it for him not on special purpose, just for fun. He didn't expect it useful, but it did now, for this moment he had been bored to death. It was really great that he could get something for fun.

He read her reply, typed something with pleasure, and clicked the send button. He was looking forward to her reaction.

Ruby felt that she was about to be ignited by anger when she received his reply. Torchwick replied these: "Please, my poor little Red, use your poor little brain to think, or it will rust." However she did remind of the answer then: her lost scroll, he probably tampered it with her scroll, though she did not know how to achieve this effect. She immediately sent the next message: "What do you want?!" Soon she received a reply: "Do you seriously think that I would tell you? To be honest, Red, I am more and more regretted about that time when I said you were not so stupid. But I also understand that you cannot calm down when you are facing me, completely understandable. After all, love makes people lose their head just like a fool." Well, Ruby just wanted to fight against him and knock him down to the ground again with Crescent Rose at this moment. She made up her mind to ignore him, after all, she should not have contacted with him, and there was always something bad happening when it was related to him.

The moment she laid the scroll aside and was ready to sleep, the screen was lit up again. She restrained for a second, but did not restrain her curiosity and picked it up, and decided to ignore him after reading this one. However, the words on the screen immediately made her eyes widen: "You want to know my plan, Red? If you could make it to come alone and meet me, you will know everything that you want to know."

The next day was the competition of 2V2. Penny would be the first to enter the field. Ruby really wanted to watch her competition, she had been looking forward to it for a long time, but she had to say sorry to Penny in her mind. Her team members and she sat together in the bleachers, she nervously stayed for a while, and then pretended unbearable and told them that she had a stomachache, because of which she cannot stay anymore. Besides, she begged them three times to tell her about the game when they came back. Then, she quickly left, took out the scroll and got the map to find out the position which Torchwick told her. She also doubted that how he knew where he was. Didn't they specifically pick a room with scenery for detaining him? This was too ridiculous.

In fact, she did not have any detailed plan about the whole thing. She had to wish that everyone was concerned about the competition— after all, it was a competition including important members of Atlas. Luckily, it was actually that coincident, she really did not encounter any trouble on the way. After getting close to the warship, she evaded the guards' inspection several times, then quietly slipped into it. Maybe they did not expect that someone would break into at this time… Ruby guessed. And Penny's competition must be really fantastic to watch.

She was flustered walking in the empty hall, any tiny sound would scare her. But she comforted herself, it was OK even if she was found, after all, she was not doing something bad. Or even, if she could learn some useful things from Torchwick… Maybe she could help them. She once again turned on her scroll to confirm her position, then cautiously came to the destination, slowly went to the little compartment… Um, cannot see any scenery from here, she distracted for a while, then was shocked by the voice from the small cell, "Red?"

"Um... How do you know that I am coming?" Ruby realized that she had asked a stupid question at the moment she spoke the words. She regretfully patted herself, and the echo of this behavior seemed sonorous in the hall. She was frightened and shrunk to the side of the little cell to observe the situation, until she made sure that no one would appear. Then, she heard the chuckle. "Oh, what's so funny?" She said angrily, but remembered to lower her voice this time.

"Do not get me wrong, I am not laughing at you." Like I would believe in this nonsense… Ruby angrily thought, he was definitely laughing at her. "I just did not expect that you actually come. Red, have you ever heard a proverb, that one would be blinded by lust for love?" He was always able to provoke Ruby's anger with several words, "I know that one would be blinded by lust for benefit, just like you." However, the man inside seemed to have more pleasure with it, "Very good, you have learned to fight back, haven't you? Unfortunately, this didn't make you look smarter. Be reasonable, Red, why do you come here?" Ruby was a little baffling to his words, "You said that, if I come here, you would tell me everything that I want to know." "So, you just believe it?" This time Ruby could tell the sense of funny indeed from his voice. His annoying laughing face appeared in her mind, she really wished that she could punch him with her fist, "You shameless liar!"

Roman chuckled inside the cell with pleasure when he heard the words. Oh, finally there was some good things happened during the boring days, "Don't say that Red, it hurts." Ruby grinded her teeth and stared at the door which obstructed them, "I thought it is a praise to you?" "Oh, you have a sense of humor now, Red. It's a step, or maybe you were really praising me? I must appreciate you for this then." Ruby started to control the desire of smashing the door. She stamped her foot, clenched her teeth, and finally turned round, prepared to leave. Anyway, it was meaningless for her to stay longer.

"Red? Don't leave so soon, hey, I admit that I was not serious saying you could know everything you want to, but we could still make some deals." Ruby warily stopped, "I would not set you free?" "Of course I do not expect so, Red, you think I was you?" She reacted for a few seconds to realize that he was laughing at her foolishness again. She was so angry that she did not know what to say.

"Well well, Red, be serious then, don't underestimate a mature one. I can teach you a lot of things that you do not understand. Why not talk about what you want to know? Maybe I will tell you, don't miss a chance." And Roman did not want to miss this pleasure also. Ruby grunted, "You think I will believe you again?" Roman presented a malicious smile, "Of course you will." She suddenly turned round with rage and stared at the door, "You are that confident huh? But I am not that stupid, Roman Torchwick. Let me remind you, the reason you are locked here is me, and your 'confidence'!"

"First of all, I do know you are not that stupid, Red, otherwise I won't want to talk to you, you understand this?" Ruby stunned, she had a strange feeling about his sudden response, then unconsciously stepped forward to listen to his continue words. "Then comes to 'confidence'… oh speak of this, I believe you could make it to here is also because of those guards' 'confidence'." Roman chuckled, "It's OK for you to choose a not so tender word, my dear Red, speak of 'arrogance', who is the more arrogant one between us?"

"What are you talking about? I didn't…" But Roman interrupted her, "You'll be regret for this. I guess you remember my words, don't you?" Ruby answered him without thinking, "Yes, I remember, so what?" "Tell me, what do you think I am saying?" "Failed to stop the train..." "Use your poor little brain please." Ruby gritted her teeth, suddenly got a bad feeling, "We successfully solved the matter at last, didn't we? Though it leaded to some destruction, at least it was much better than what you planned!" "You're really a coward, Red. Maybe I expect too much of you." "I'm not a coward!" Ruby angrily and inexplicably stared at the door in front of her. Her sight almost could burn a hole in the door, "What do you want to say exactly? Stop your riddles!" Roman chuckled and finally answered her, "What you should regret most, Red, is I— the initiator of evil for this disaster, was not detained here until it happened. I could even say, that if I am not here like this today, could still talk to you— there would not be those destruction or death." Ruby felt her head dizzy, she quickly understood his meaning, or maybe as he said, she did have guessed what he would say before he said it. She just didn't want to think about it.

"So," The evil man didn't left her more time, he ruthlessly spat out his conclusion, "It's you who caused all these, Red."

Ruby reluctantly calmed herself down, haltingly said, "I... You are shirking your responsibility, it was because of you..." "That was my work and my mission, but it was yours to stop me. I successfully completed my work, while you gave up yours because of some stupid reasons, which referred to your arrogance my red."

"It was not stupid!" This time Ruby's voice seemed not so firm. "It was not stupid!" She emphasized. "I just wanted to prove to you..." She even told this consideration of her, which was enough to prove how distracted she was at that moment, but he didn't let her go, "This IS stupid. Honesty, faith, belief, trust, they are all nonsense. Teachers, friends, and even your family members, no one will actually believe in you, and no one is worth your trust… They will always conceal something from you, just as what you have done to them. Red, you know what is worth believing in? Never believe— this is the most credible way." His voice lowered, with a strange sense of temptation, "You could see with your own eyes that how perfectly I've achieved in this area. Red, you are not a stupid girl… I can teach you a lot, and you would do it well…"

"No, no!" Ruby covered her ears and ceaselessly shook her head. "You are wrong, that was not right. You are the wrong one!" Roman stopped and smiled. He had done enough today, time to stop. Moreover, he curved his lips, this girl who completely immersed in her own emotions haven't noticed, but he didn't ignore…

"Miss, what are you doing here?!"

Ruby was shocked, she looked up and saw Ironwood's serious face, then got frozen. "Uh, I… I…" He grabbed her wrist. "I know who you are, Miss Rose, but now I am afraid you should come with me to meet your principal. I happen to have an appointment to meet him now, so… come on."

After it all became silent outside, Roman closed his eyes and stretched out his body, with his face full of pleasure. She was too qualified as a relaxation toy, and he would not be niggard of grading her a super excellence. He had not met such an innocent one for a long time, and cheating, influencing, fluctuating such a person... Was there anything more interesting than this? He reminded of Ironwood's face, grunted disgustingly. Perfect timing, he wished this metal head fool could help him to influence her more.

Chap.5 FIN.


	6. Chap6 Mess

Chap.6 Mess

Qrow impatiently turned around while he heard the elevator opening, "You are late, Ironw… Ruby?" He paused and stared at the little girl in her red cloak popping her head out behind Ironwood. Ruby was as surprised as he was when she saw the circumstance in the room, "Uncle Qrow? Pyrrha…?"

Qrow glared at the sullen man, "Ironwood, any explanation?" But he frowned, "Maybe first let this Miss Rose explain herself, including why she appeared in my ship and more, talked with Torchwick." He turned to Ruby, "Miss, you'd better explain why you were there and what you were talking about. I will verify the content of your conversation, so do not lie to me."

Qrow was unpleasant at first because of his attitude, but then was shocked after hearing what he had said, "Ruby?" "Hey, old man." She smiled awkwardly and greeted him, touching her nose with eyes away from him.

Ozpin walked out from his desk, "Miss Rose, relax, we're good so just make things clear." The problem was that she could not explain clearly! Ruby thought for a while, swiftly glanced at Qrow and said, "Um, the story was …" She repeated the words which her uncle said to Yang and her before. After seeing that everyone turned their attention to Qrow, she said, "Um, I thought I'm familiar with Tor… eh, I mean that I've fought against him many times, so I think…"

"So you think, you could go ask that criminal directly of his conspiracy?" Glynda's voice sounded incredible. Ruby's lips embarrassedly twitched, "Yes…" Qrow worryingly rubbed his forehead when Ironwood glanced at him, which made him quite annoyed but could not fight back. "Perhaps I shouldn't have said so much to you kids…" He went to Ruby and patted her head. "You remember what I said about thinking like a hunter? Either think clearly or consult with someone reliable before your next action, understand?"

"Okay, fine," Ruby answered. She was guilty at first, but at this time she was inexplicably dissatisfied with the words: she did have thought about it. She had never thought about so many things as recent days. Which reliable person she could find to consult with this thing? They would blame her, warn her, but who would understand her difficulties? And more, who could be reliable? -Then she was frightened by this thought. That's… that's terrible, how could she have this kind of ridiculous thought? Of course they were reliable, and she certainly trusted them. She was just…

"Miss Rose, would you mind telling us what you talked with him?" Ozpin's words interrupted her thoughts. She calmed herself down, opened her mouth, but did not know what to say. What should she say…? He keenly noticed that she looked a little bit weird, "Miss Rose? Is it that he told you something?"

"Oh, no- surely not." Ruby consciously denied, then felt kind of guilty. But the next moment she found that she did not need to feel guilty: he truly did not tell her anything. "I asked him if there was a conspiracy, and if there was someone else behind him, he both denied." She picked up an answer which wouldn't go wrong, then she heard uncle Qrow and General Ironwood "humph" to the words at the same time.

"Anything else?" Ozpin looked at her expression and asked. Ruby shook her head, "No, he seemed… uninterested talking with me." Qrow rubbed her hair sighing, "Little huntress, you still have a lot to learn. I would be surprised if he told you something." Ruby secretly thought that, you should be surprised then. What he said to me was more than what he said to all of you.

The success of this explanation was beyond Ruby's imagination. It seemed that they all had accepted her words easily. Ruby should be glad of this, but she was not happy at all. She knew that she still had many things to learn, but what she could do were also not less. In view of what she had done, she thought that they could value her more, at least she was seriously treated by that criminal, but they thought that he would not be serious to a little huntress like her.

Arrogance. The topic that they've talked about suddenly came to Ruby's mind. Only she tried hard could she throw off the idea.

Ironwood turned to Ruby, "Miss Rose, it's not I don't believe you, but I still need to verify the content of your conversation from Torchwick. Of course, I don't think there would be any problem." "Then what would you do if he lies to you in order to frame me up?" Ruby just let this question slipped out of her mouth, and immediately she became regretted. Was her attitude not so good? But it was also a reasonable question, after all, that guy always told lies. Ironwood glanced at her in surprise, "We'll have our own judgment, you do not need to worry about this. That guy is locked up and cannot raise a storm." But you were still not able to acquire something useful from him. Ruby found that it was harder to keep some dangerous thoughts from coming to her mind. She shook her head depressingly.

"Well, now we have other important things to talk about, you're free to leave Miss Rose. I will inform you after the result come out." Ruby blinked, and looked at Pyrrha who had been embarrassed standing next to them all this time, "What will you talk? Pyrrha…" She wanted to ask Pyrrha if she would leave with her, but then was interrupted by Ozpin. "We have something to talk with Miss Nikos, which you are not supposed to know for the moment. Sorry, Ruby, excuse me." The principal smiled to her, gently said. Although he was very gentle, Ruby still felt uncomfortable. There was no doubt that it was related to the conversation between Torchwick and her. Secret, concealment, is there something in this world that she could know?

She nodded, and turned to the elevator. Before the elevator door closed, she finally gave a glance at Pyrrha and the four adults. She was still curious about this strange group, what would they talk about?

After returning to the dorm, Ruby laid down on her bed (she even forgot the 2 vs. 2 competition that Yang and Weiss were about to attend). She reminded of Ironwood's words, which he would verify the content of the conversation between Torchwick and herself. She took out her scroll, turned to the conversation interface between them. The harsh backlight of the machine dazzled her eyes. She hesitated several times to type, but finally shut the scroll. She really should not contact him anymore. She was becoming abnormal, she shouldn't listen to him any longer. As for the verification, even she could muddle through, was it necessary to consider that that guy would give the game away?

If he really wanted to frame her up… But it was nothing good for him to do such a thing… Perhaps this thing itself which framed her up would make him happy, but those adults wouldn't believe him, they knew he was a criminal… Her mind was filled with messy thoughts, which made her have a headache. She rubbed her face, and finally decided not to think about it. She would not be afraid of him, even if he really wanted to frame her up, they would make it clear.

She still believed that after all.

However, very soon, the trust she had was greatly impacted.

When she was sitting next to Yang, watching Ironwood announce the final result of their team, her mind was in a turmoil. He said, the staff here at Beacon are fully aware that she would never lash out the way she did, under normal circumstances. So they still distrusted her, no matter it was stress and adrenaline, or some weird illusion, they did not believe her. He said, whether it was an accident or an assault, it didn't matter. The world saw she attacked an innocent student, that was the point. She was eventually disqualified, because the public needed this.

So, the truth and fact, these aren't important then, are they?

Then Blake's look made her heart cold for a second, but fortunately… She still believed Yang. At this time, if she as their team member and friend, did not believe Yang, she may be not able to bear. Torchwick's words enveloped her heart like dark clouds, and his voice echoed in her mind again and again.

She was kind of serious to consider his words. All the talking on trust, were they true, or were they just lies he used to confuse her? She used to convince it, but now she was not so confident.

They left Yang in the dormitory so that she could have a place to stay alone, and Ruby thought she needed some private room too. When she came out and met Jaune who gazed around outside the door, she felt better about the trust team JNPR showed, but then she saw Pyrrha. What did they talk about that day? What is that Pyrrha should know, but she should not?

Then Ruby found an excuse to leave Blake and Weiss and acted alone. She wandered aimlessly and was confused. She took out her scroll several times and then took back. Ultimately, she did not hold back her desire but sent a message to that account: "Is this related to you?" The question was inexplicable, Ruby did not know what kind of response she wished to receive. But she did not receive any reply.

Roman just smiled a second when he received this unclear message, then he took the small machine back. Ironwood had interrogated him, it was easy to conclude from his words that she still did not say anything to them. He reminded of that girl's look of staring at him, and could not help laughing. But it might be a feint. What he said to her were much enough, and it could be another person beside the little red girl behind this message. Who knows? He would not be stupid to reply it.

Moreover, what he needed to beware of was more than these guys. Although he had secretly acquired the general situation from Neo, he was not entirely clear about that woman's plan. Their action had begun, then he should be more cautious. After all, he did not wish that woman, Cinder, was informed of his… little fun. This was not important, but it was still very troublesome if intercepted by her.

Roman put his hands behind his head, and stretched his body.

He had to spend the boring days again.

Ruby almost took out the scroll every moment to have a look, but this machine had never responded to her. She sighed, then met Nora and Ren who walked towards her with a lot of snacks. "Hey, Ruby! Do you want some to eat?" Nora jumped and jogged to her. Suddenly, Ruby was kind of envious of her. She could have been so carefree and had nothing to worry about, except Yang's mood at the moment. However, she was forced to and had to stuff so many problems in her mind which were beyond her ability to deal with.

"Hey, Nora, one quick question," She could not help but ask, "If Ren conceals something from you, will you still believe him?" Nora hung to innocent Ren with a rush in the next second, the snacks in his hands spilled all over the floor. "Ren, you conceal something from me?" He stepped back a few steps and caught her, sighing with helplessness over his eyes: "No." Nora then turned to Ruby with a big smile, "He said no!"

Ruby was silent and smiled at her with relief. Then she pulled a long face again, after all, her own problem was not solved. She said goodbye to them, and prepare to move on, then was warned by Nora, "Don't go there, Jaune and Pyrrha are there." She nodded, "I'm just passing by, will not disturb them."

However, as she approached that direction, she saw the scene far away which Pyrrha hit Jaune to the wall. She was stupefied watching Pyrrha covering her face and running off, and Jaune falling off the wall and calling her name. Ruby hesitated for a while and then ran towards him quickly. "Jaune? Are you okay?" She reached out her hands to pull him up. "Um, thanks… I am fine." He worryingly and confusedly looked to the direction that Pyrrha ran away, "But Pyrrha…"

"What happened to her?" Ruby asked him. Jaune shook his head awkwardly, "I don't know, either. It is true. Perhaps I said something wrong?" "What were you talking about? Did Pyrrha say something to you? Something about her?" Jaune continued to shake his head, "Um, we did not say anything specific… Actually I'm not sure… probably, destiny…? Eh, final goal, something… you work towards your entire life? And some, sort of, cost yourself to reach your goal in an instant? "Uh?" Ruby's reaction made him more awkward. "I mean, she said something strange, but I didn't understand. Um, I understood most of them, such as the destiny and the goal." Ruby shrugged, "Oh, I also understand this part." In fact, she also had such a goal, didn't she?

"But I didn't understand the rest part. It sounded like, she could not achieve her goal, but she could achieve it at once… Something like this? I had no idea what she was saying." Probably, it was related to what she talked with the adults in Ozpin's place, Ruby thought, but she couldn't tell him. Hence she continued to ask Jaune, "Then what did you say?" He was distressed, "I said… the Pyrrha I know would never back down from a challenge, and can't let anything stand in her way… Did I say something wrong?" Ruby didn't know, either. What he said didn't sound wrong, and should it be quite right? She could only pat his shoulder, "Cheer up, you could ask her again." Jaune sighed deeply, "But she didn't seem to say more."

At this time, Ruby suddenly reminded of her own problem. Although it might not be a perfect time, probably nobody was more suitable than Jaune to discuss it at the moment. After all, she couldn't go to Yang, Weiss was not a good choice, and Blake… They had just talked about the relevant topic today, she thought that she shouldn't disturb her once again.

"Jaune, if Pyrrha is concealing something from you, I mean, something she does not want to tell you, what will you feel?" He wonderingly glanced at her, "She probably… has her own reasons?" "Um…" Ruby paused, she understood this, but what she wanted to ask was not this. "I mean, I understand, some reasons, yes. But, it is that… if there is always something to hide, could people trust each other?" Jaune looked more puzzled, he didn't understand what Ruby wanted to say, "Um, in terms of Pyrrha, you know, we know her…" "But if it's not Pyrrha? Instead of someone who we do not know well, including… including…" Ruby hesitated, "Like the teachers, if they do not trust you, will you trust them?"

Then Jaune seemed like realizing something. He patted Ruby's shoulder, "I know you're worried about Yang, Ruby. You'll be OK, I believe she'll be OK." But she could not let the question go simply. "Jaune, do you think it's foolish to trust so easily?" He could tell that she really valued this question, then scratched his head, "Um… Are you sure you want to ask me about this? I am not a curve wrecker…" He scratched his face, showing an embarrassed smile, "But if you asked my opinion…" He paused, and continued, "As I came to Beacon, the first friend I made was you, Ruby. Um… I think you could just do what you want. I don't think it will be wrong."

Ruby was stunned. She did not expect to hear such an answer. Her first reaction was that, he seemed not to answer her question, but then she felt that her mind was brighter and brighter. She had been led so far away by that Torchwick, but almost forgot her original insistence. If she didn't believe in it herself, how could she prove to him?

Perhaps she could? She could put those messy things aside, she was always herself at last. She did not expect that those messy things could be simply solved like this.

"Oh, Jaune, you're the best!" Ruby jumped excitedly, and thanked him aloud. Then she could not contain her excitement and run off in a moment, left Jaune staying there with confusion. What exactly did he say today, that firstly made a girl cry and run away, then made another girl thank him aloud, and then… run away too?

Ruby continued to stroll with a finally relaxed mood, then she met Velvet in the square. After hearing her understanding to Yang, Ruby was happier. There are people that would trust them. But then, after she heard Velvet's words, which was the similar experience with Yang's, a dark cloud enveloped in her heart once again.

Didn't know why, she had a bad presentiment. Very, very bad, as if there would be a huge mess about to happen.

Chap.6 FIN.


	7. Chap7 Survivor

Chap.7 Survivor

It turned out that Ruby's presentiment was correct.

Everything was chaotic.

So many things happened, but she knew, that what she could do now, was what she was best at.

Originally, she planned to fight and resist with everyone else, but at the moment she saw Ironwood's ship fall, she immediately had a strange impulse.

She certainly knew who did that.

Oh, if the opponent was him, it would be perfect. Ruby ground her teeth and left the group. She found a locker, then rushed to her target riding it.

Her specific target, Roman Torchwick.

Perhaps they could bring all the things to an end today.

When Roman heard the loud sound above the ship, he didn't have the accurate judgment as Ruby had- Oh he was enjoying himself, nothing was supposed to disturb him. Anybody like him, who had been locked up for so many days and bored to the extent that almost had mushrooms growing on his head, would not like to be disturbed when he was released finally.

He impatiently smacked his lips, asked Neo to see what happened. The moment she saw the red riding hood, a trace of banter flashed in her eyes. She was probably the only one who knew what stories had happened between these two people. Therefore, she took out her scroll, took a picture, then sent- After completing the series of actions quickly, Neo blinked her eyes towards the little huntress who just turned round. She could not help but regret, she would like to see Roman's expression when he received the photo.

His expression deserved to have a look indeed, which was mixed with silence, testiness and cloud. Roman uttered a roar from his throat, showing a disgusted expression. He really forgot that there was such a "little trouble" which he had not solved yet. It could not blame him, after all, at this time he had more interesting things to do. It was not the time when he was locked up, had nothing to do but making fun of a naive little huntress, he was free now. So, just fight quickly, and bring all the things to an end immediately.

"Oh, you cannot be serious…" He murmured impatiently and unplugged his scroll roughly, striding up to the top of the ship.

When he went to the deck, the little huntress was fiercely fighting with Neo. He grabbed the opportunity, raised Melodic Cudgel and fired a shell, which just knocked her into the air. He laughed at her, this felt just excellent. He looked at her embarrassedly hanging herself on the deck with her gardening tool, then slowly walked towards her and erected the cane in front of her, "Oh… Little Red, Little Red, I sincerely hope the reason you come here is that you decide to take my advice." He lowered his voice like before, "I can teach you a lot…" But the red girl answered through her gritted teeth, "Stop dreaming…!" He exaggeratedly had his hand over his heart, "Oh, it hurts a lot when my heart is trampled." He pretended to be pathetic with a pleasant tone, "That's life. You were that enthusiastic when you wanted to go after me. Now I finally invite you, but am cruelly refused… Sure enough the popular sayings are reasonable, the one who falls in love will lose, huh?"

"You…!" Ruby had no leisure for replying his teasing. Her heart was still strongly beating, she could clearly hear the sound which just like drum after she saw a large group of endless Grimm rush towards the direction of Vale. That moment her blood almost froze, the scene that the train broke through the tunnel came to her mind. What would happen if so many Grimm rushed into the city?

Roman looked at her expression and chuckled, "Oh, still enthusiastic. It seems that the reason you refused me was not because you didn't love me anymore huh? So you are just determined to be the hero of Vale, aren't you? Are you doing so even though you need to betray the love between us?"

"What are you doing! Without these ships, the grimm will destroy everything!" Ruby shouted at him, even ignored his provocation. Her blood was cold like ice and a sense of shock slipped across her mind. Only this man would regard the sadness in her eyes as "enthusiastic". She shouted at him, but only received a ruthless answer. She looked up and saw the cruelty without any temperature in his eyes, which in sharp contrast with his pleasant tone and the spark that shone at the tip of his cane: "That's the plan!"

Ruby struggled to elude, and then continued to fight against Neo who attacked towards her. She fell a few times during the fight, a ferocious griffin passed over her head, and her heart convulsed once again. Some indescribable grief rose from her heart while looking at the two people who stood together far away. She did not understand, why did they do this!

"But why! What do you get out of it?!"

Why did you do this!

Roman snorted in terms of the boring question, "You're asking the wrong question, Red. It's not what I have to gain, it's that I can't afford to lose."

Ruby didn't understand what he said, and she didn't want to understand now. She rushed to him, but was immediately kicked out by Neo who came out from his back. She had used up all the fighting skills she was good at, but these two people cooperated perfectly. Eventually she was hit by Roman's shell to the edge of the deck. At the crucial moment, she was just able to hang herself there with the Crescent Rose merely.

She saw the man's face appear in her sight, "I, may be a gambling man, but even I know there're some bets you just don't take. Like it or not, the people that hired me are going to change the world. You can't stop them, I can't stop them. You know the old saying, "if you can't beat them…"

Ruby was reelingly hanging there. There was only that man within her sight. She stared at his eyes tightly, his voice came into her ears word by word along the wind. She stared at his eyes, she should not be distracted but a thought suddenly came to her mind while listening to him and staring at him. She didn't even think about it for a second before interrupting him and loudly shouting, "So this is not your plan! There indeed are some people behind you, they are the people who planned everything! This is not what you want to do!"

Roman was almost angered to laugh by her obsession. At this time, this very moment, the situation had already been like this, and she is still saying this kind of lines? Inexplicably, some indescribable anger rose in his mind, "Don't you understand Red? This is never the key point! Never! Who planned it, what do I think and whether it is right or not are never important! Whether I plan it or not and whether I want to do it or not, 'my' role or 'my' thought, none of these matters!"

Ruby didn't understand. "If 'your' thought doesn't matter, why did 'you' do this!"

Roman could feel that the anger provoked in his heart burned more and more prosperous. He was burned to dry inside, crack and restless. This anger became more and more intense, he almost could not control it. This made him surprised at a moment, because he had not experienced uncontrollable feeling this intense for a long time. He tried hard to restrain the grumpiness which was strange and made him uneasy, showed a horrible smile to her, "Oh Red, listen to me carefully, okay? I said, because I can't afford to lose!" He growled the last sentence out, kicked her weapon which she used to hang herself, Crescent Rose slid a little. Ruby screamed, and her body swayed. She tried to calm herself, and kicked away the Griffin gliding under her. Roman squinted at the girl hanging there and made a gesture. Neo came up and aimed at her with her umbrella. Ruby gasped and pondered the countermeasure, then she heard him talk again, "Since you care about these kind of meaningless things so much… meaningless 'meaning', Red. How about you tell me, what does my thought mean to you?" His voice was full of irony, obviously he didn't think it was a meaningful thing. She swallowed to moisturize her throat which was achy because she had been breathing deeply for a long time, then angrily looked up at him, "It is meaningful!" Her sight stabbed into his eyes like a sharp blade, "Your thought, is meaningful. It is meaningful to me! I want to know what you think. I want to know how I should treat you!"

He stood high above and contemptuously glanced at her, "I appreciate your concern. I have said I was touched. But I don't need your judgment, my humane Red."

She clenched her teeth, "I don't want to judge you! I just want to know how I should treat you!"

"Oh, is it true?" His voice suddenly became smooth and gentle, but Ruby quickly caught the dangerous sense from it. "Then, go to hell with your meaning. If you cannot understand, perhaps this will truly teach you how to treat me indeed." However, Ruby's reaction was quicker than him, or much quicker than Neo. She quickly pressed the button on the handle which she had observed before. The open umbrella fabric rushed out with the girl with two-colored hair, and rapidly disappeared in the night sky. Roman's pupils dilated at the moment, stunningly shouted, "Neo!" Of course, the hand he stretched out did not reach her, and Ruby had already climbed to the deck.

"At least I still know how I should treat you now. No matter what you think, we will stop them. And I, will stop you! That I'll bet!"

Roman looked at the red girl's eyes. They glistened, tough and firm, indomitable and invincible. It seemed that nothing could shake them. The last trace of reason in his mind cracked. The anger that emerged from every corner endlessly rose from his heart. He looked at Ruby who rushed to him, and raised his cane. This ridiculous girl did not even pick up her weapon, as if she would be able to win if she shouted aloud enough. How stupid. How arrogant! His action seemed to be more decisive and ruthless than every time before. Ruby was soon knocked to the ground by him. He came to her, said in a mocking tone, "You got spirit, Red. But this is the real world!" He gave her a hysterical attack and knocked her down again. "The real world is cold!" Another attack. "The real world doesn't care about spirit!" Ruby struggled to fight back, kicked his legs which made him step back a few steps, but it didn't calm him, "You wanna be a hero? Then…" Ruby struggled to raise her body and interrupted him, shouting aloud, "I don't just 'want' to be a hero! I will do what a hero should do, I will knock down the bad guys, help people, and do everything I can!" Roman roared, "Oh, what's the difference!" He approached her step by step with his face hided under the shade, "Tell me Red, how is that different!" "Oh you will not understand will you! The difference between them!" He stomped on her chest, his cane poked to her throat cruelly, harder than ever before. "Yes, you are right, my little hero. I do not understand!" His expression almost twisted, terrible light like beast shone in his eyes. "Trust! Justice! Heroes! How ridiculous! These noble and great words… How stupid! To trust the heart under the flesh, but never see how dark hides in! To promote the justice high above, but never see how dirty behind it! To be the heroes admired by, but never see how miserable their fates are!" He took back the cane and grabbed her collar to lift up the girl who was coughing hard, approaching her eyes. "Oh my little Red… when you are squandering your arrogance, when you are willing to die for some funny reasons, do you know how many people would abandon everything, for the rubbish you just easily give up!"

The girl finally breathed smoothly, but struggled in his hands and looked at him, "You are wrong! I will prove to you, people are worth trusting, justice is for protecting, and being a hero… is meaningful! The reason I want to be a hero… is not funny!"

Roman was extremely exasperated to smile. That again! That again! This kind of stupid, unreasonable, arrogant answer! "Inflexible, huh? Wanna be a hero? Then play your part and die like every other huntsman in the history! That is your fate!" He threw her on the ground. And her eyes horridly dilated.

"Ask for me! I'll do what I do best. Lie. Steal. Cheat. And…"

Survive.

Roman didn't make it to say the last word.

He was hit by a huge impact force, and then fell backward. Suddenly, his senses slowed to the extreme, even time seemed to be slower. His eyes were frighteningly wide open, as he watched the scenes in front of his sight changing with his falling- watched the dark shadow gliding through over him. Every inch of his skin was trembling, for the infinite fear just brushed past him.

That was the threat of death.

Until he fell heavily on the ground, his consciousness finally caught up with the reality. His feeling returned. Then he suddenly felt the strength around his waist which was tightened. He came to realize what just happened: Ruby rushed to him, sprang upon him on the ground to elude the grimm.

She saved him.

However, the crisis had not ended, more grimms rushed over towards them. Ruby exhausted efforts to release the semblance and then rushed towards the side with Roman, eluding another attack. As she exhausted hard, she fell on the ground with him. She quickly stood up and shouted at him, "Leave here!" She looked around and saw the location of Crescent Rose, then quickly rushed towards it. Roman finally reacted, instinctively raised Melodic Cudgel to shoot and dodge the attack of the rest grimms. There were too many of them! He knew that he could not beat so many beasts, but he could not escape, he would die if he fell from here. The door to the inside of the ship was too far away from him, he could not break through the beasts' obstruction and made into it. He eluded another attack and fired to fight back, but was clear that he could not resist too long.

"Hold me!" However, at this very moment, he heard her voice again. Then, he was sprang upon once again by her and rushed out. Ruby held Crescent Rose, and held around Roman's waist with another arm, rushing to the edge of the deck with an acceleration, and then jumping into the air. She made Crescent Rose to fire down to make them slow down, but the task was not done well because of two people's weight, and it became torpid when she was carrying another person. They were about to collide! If they landed at the current speed, they would be seriously injured at least… Ruby clenched teeth and quickly thought. Then another shot sound exploded by her ears. Roman cooperated with her and shot towards the ground together. When they were close to the ground, she heard him say, "Separate!" The two put forth their strength together to bounce towards the opposite directions, both safely landed relying on the horizontal buffer strength, although their postures were kind of poor.

Ruby fell to the ground and gasped for a moment, then looked at the direction of Roman, "Good cooperation." She said, and then it sank to silence between two of them.

Roman lowered his head and looked at the ground in front him. He slowly covered his eyes, then suddenly burst into a horrible laughter. His laughter slowly become higher from the intermittent low sound, and almost revealed a bit of sense of crazy at last. Ruby vigilantly looked at his direction and stood up, clenching her Crescent Rose tightly.

Suddenly, his laughter stopped. He put his hands down, stood up and looked at the direction of Ruby. It seemed that he had restored his gentle appearance. "Red, why saved me."

"Um…" Ruby hesitated for a moment. In fact, she did not understand either. When she saw the dark shadow rush to Torchwick, she rushed out without thinking about anything. At the moment, saving him was like the instinct carved in her body. She kind of felt that she could not bear seeing the man die in front of her in that way, but it seemed that this could not be regarded as an answer. Then she suddenly reminded of Jaune's words, "… Because I wanted."

His eyes twitched slightly, then he snorted, "Stupid." He paused, whisking the dust on his clothes, "You will regret for it, Red. I will not be lenient because of this kind of stupid thing that you saved me."

Ruby tightened her body and posed the gesture for fighting, but only to see him turn away. She stunned for a second, "Hey! I did not let go!"

He slightly turned round and glanced at her, "I thought you might have something more important than catching me, little hero?"

Ruby blankly looked at his back, and then looked at the direction of Beacon. She then clenched her teeth, turned around and rushed over there.

Chap.7 FIN.

* * *

Suddenly recall the time when I finished this chapter four month ago, at my birthday. I finished it as a present to myself. I had imagined for several times how I would feel after finishing it, I thought I might be excited for he was finally saved. However, after finished it, I sank into great anxiety. Am I doing it well enough? Though I know it's me who write this story, I always want my work could give readers this kind of impression: They the characters make their own choice themselves, it's natural of the story happened. I didn't know if it's enough for her to do it… after what happened in the previous chapters. I hope you would feel it was Ruby who saved Roman but not me the writer. Whatever, it's the best I could do.

The story goes here and it means I do not have original plots as a reference anymore. I've already finished 15 chapters till now, and it gets harder and harder. Upset, depression and anxiety are not strange during the process, self-doubt every day and also know I could not satisfy everyone. Whatever, I'm happy if only I could finish it with my best.

Hope I could finish the originally Chinese version before my next update, prepare to finish it before vol.5 starts. I want to do a whole amendment before the translation of next chapter. So, another two months, maybe more… thanks for your patience and hope you enjoy it.


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